Mail-chute.



No. 7s3,7o9. PATBNTED MAY z, 1905. J. W. GUTLBB. MAIL GHUTB.

APPLICATION PILED JAN.14. 1903.

` NITED STATES Patente cLMay 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

vAL-CHUTE.

SPECIFICATION form'ng part of Letters Patent N o *788,709, dated May 2,1905.

Application filed January 14,1903. Serial No. 139,019.

Tr) Hill whom it 'my concrn:

Be it known that I, Josnru VVARREN CUT- LER, of Rochestez in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Mail-Chutes; and 1 do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accom panying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, and tothe reference-numerals marked thereon.

My presentinvention relates to mail-chutes and has for its object toprovide an improved closure for controlling the chute-openings at thevarious floors of a building whereby the deposit of mail-matter into thechutes nay be controlled by authorized persons only; and it consists incertain inprovements and combinations of parts` all as will behereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed outin the claims at the end of the specification.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical sectonal View of amail-chute embodying my improvements and showing two of themailing-apertures located on different fioors, one open for thereception of mail-matter and the other closed. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the mailing-section with a portion of the outer casingbroken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the chute. Fig.4 is a horizontal sectional View on the line a) w of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view on the line 1 y of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isa verticalsectional view taken on the line 2- .2 of Fig. 3, showing the key inposition. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a portion of the lock.

Similar referenee-numerals in the several figures indicate similarparts.

ln the practical operation of mail-chutes of the class to which myinvention belongs it is oftentimes necessary to control access to thevarious mailing-apertures-as, for instance, where the mail box orreceptacle is undergoing repairs or alterations or when the buildingsare very high and two or more chutes are employed it is sometimesdcsirable to permit mail to be deposited from alternate fioors only, andthe chutes being under the control of the Post-Office Departmentprovision must be made to prevent unauthorized persons from tamperingwith the chute or any of its parts, and my present invention relates tomeans for accomplishing this in the best and simplest manner.

The mail-chutes in connection with which my invention is employed are ofthe type generally used and embody a conduetor or casing 1, having theusual front plates 2, of glass, to permit inspection of the interior.The mailing-sections on each floor embody a casing 3 arranged betweenthe ends of two of the glass front plates, being secured to the chuteand to the hacking in any suitable or usual manner, and is provided witha mail-reeeiving aperture 4 at its upper portion and also with a frontplate 5. preferably removable and secured in position in any suitablemanner. and arranged within the casing is the downwardlyextending plateor ap'on 6, cxtending sufiiciently far below the mail-receiving aperture4 to prevent maildescendingfrom above from catching in themailing-section or interfering with the insertion of letters.

7 indicates a plate of sheet metal having flanges 8 on the sides,through which latter passes a rod or pintle 9, Secured in the sides ofthe casing, and upon which the plate may turn from the position shown inthe upper part of Fig. 1 to that shown in the lower part. The upper endof plate 7 is bent outwardly at an angle to form a lid or closurecooperating with the under side of the aperture 4:, in the presentinstance being provided with a small separate plate 10, which may be asign containing the word `Closed, if desired. This plate 7 constitutes alid or door, which is normally in the position shown in the upper partof Fig. 1, leaving the passage from the aperture 4 to the chuteunobstructed, so that letters may be introduced and may pass into thechute; but when moved to the position shown in the lower portion of Fig.1 the aperture will be closed when for any purpose this is desired. At apoint below the upper end the plate 7 is provided withiuwardly-extending prongs or ears ll, struek out of the sheet metal andbent, as shown, to prevent the entrance into the chute of large lettersor packages, the ends of' which might have been inserted in the aperture1, serving in this respect the same functions as the correspondingprojections illustrated in my prior patent, No. &30,626. For the purposeof Operating and contrlling the movement of the plate or door 7 Iprovide an arbor 13, journaled at its ends in the casing 3 and havingrigidly secured thei-eto arms or projections 14:, two being shown in thepresent instance and arranged centrally of the arbor a bracket 15,having a tongue or projection 16 thereon adapted to engage when the dooris open with a lug or ear 17, preferably struck from the plate 7 andbent rearwardly and downward, as shown, these projections 16 and 17engaging when the arbor is turned to the position shown in Fig. 1 forthe purpose of positively holding the lid or door open.

18 indicates a leaf-spring, with its lower end Secured to the plate 7and its upper end extending in rear of the bracket 15 on the arbor, thetendency of the spring being to normally move the door to open theaperture.

TV hile I prefer to employ the spring shown, it will be understood thatother forms could be used, if desired, without departing from myinvention.

From the above Construction it will be seen that when the arbor isturned in one direction the door is permitted to be opened by thespring, or a positive connection could be employed, if desired, and itis held open by the braoket 15, and When the arbor is turned in theopposite direction the arms 14: will press the door to the positionshown in the lower part of Fig. 1, holding it rmly closed and preventingthe entrance of mail-matter to the chute, the ends of the arms 1 1 thenpassing beneath the projections 19, struck rearwardly from the plate 7,as shown particularly in Fig. 5.

For the purpose of Operating and controlling the movements of the arborI provide a removable Operating handle or key 20 in the form of a fiatplate like the ordinary Yalelock key, having at its inner end projectingportions adapted to coperate with suitable 'recesses in the end of thearbor 13, and beyond the end of the arbor I provide in or on the casingwards or interlocking portions, With which corresponding recesses in theedges of the key are adapted to coperate, whereby the manipulation ofthe arbor by other means than the appropriate key is prevented. In thepresent Construction the arbor 13 is journaled in inwardly-projectingbosses 21, formed or secured on the casing, and upon its outer end isSecured a notched collar 22, (see Fig. 6,) with which the end of the keycoperates, and the guards or wards are held in position by a recessedboss or casing 23, Secured to the casing by screws 24, inserted 'rom theinner side of the main casing, so as to prevent the removal of thewardcasing from the exterior, or instead of these screws otherfastenings could be employed which would prevent the removalbyunauthorized persons.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown a simple form of guard for the arborembodying plates 25, 26, 27, and 28, the latter having a narrow slotthrough it for the passage of the key 20 and movable with it, while theplates 25, 26, and 27 are Secured from rotation in the present instanceby having at one or both sides lugs or projections 30, enteringcorresponding recesses formed in the casing 23. 29 indicates a circularWasher arranged between the plate 25 and the casing 3. The guardplates26 and 27 are each provided with two inwardly-extending segmentallugs31, having a slot between them, the slot in one extending in adifferent radial plane from that of the other--in the present instanceat right angles-and the lugs being so located that they will engage inthe separate recesses 32 and 52 of the key 20. When the key is insertedin avertical position and moved into engagement with the end of thearbor, the Slots 32 and 52 will be brought into line with the lugs 31 onthe plates 26 and 27, respectively, and the key may be then turned intohorizontal position, and the arms 14 on the arbor closing the door andpassing beyond the projections 19, further movement in this directionbeing arrested not only by the bracket 15 on the arbor, but also by thebody of the key opposite the outermost notch 52 engaging one of thewards 31 on the plate 27, the notch between the wards of the plate 26permitting the withdrawal of the key, however, and leaving the arborwith the door in closed position, as seen in the lower portion ofFig. 1. In order to open the door, the key may be inserted in ahorizontal position and turned to a vertical position, revolving thearbor in the opposite direction, but permitti ng only a halt'- turn, asthe portion opposite the notch 32 in the key will engage with the lowerend of the lug 31 on the plate 26. This arrangement of looking thuspermits only the proper amount of rotation of the arbor and insures thisbefore the withdrawal of the key is permitted, at the same timepermitting the insertion of the key in the proper manner only andlimiting its movement.

By constructing the lock-casing with the removableand interchangeableward or guard plates, as shown, the combination or relative arrangementof the plates maybe changed if for any reason this is necessary ordesirable, the casing 23 being removed 'or the purpose, and by reason ofthe circular openings in the ward-plates the key is afi`orded a longbearing.

l claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a mail-receptaclehaving a mail-receivingaperture, of a door for the aperture, a rotatablearbor separate IOO IOS

IIO

from but controlling the movement of the door and a removahle Operatingkey or handle coperating with the arbor.

2. The combination with a mail-receptacle having a mail-receivingaperture, of a door for the aperture, a rotatable arbor separate frombut controllingthe movement of the door, a removable Operating-key forengaging the arbor and a guard with which the key coperates.

3. The combination with a mail-receptacle having a mail-receivingapertnre, of a plate pivoted at its lower end and having a flange at itsupper end coperating with the aperture to close it and a series ofprojections in a lower plane and means for moving the plate on itspivot.

4. The combination with a mail-receptacle, and a casing having amail-receiving aperture, of a movable door t'or the aperture arrangedwithin the casing, a removable key for actuatingthe door having wardsand correspond.- ing wards or guards in the casing with which the keycoperates.

5. The combination with a mail-receptacle and a casing having amail--receiving aperture, of a movable door for the aperture arrangedwithin the casing, a rotatable. arbor controlling the door having itsOperating portion within the casing and key-wards arranged in proximityto the arbor.

6. The combination with a mail-reeeptacle and a casing having amail-receiving aperture, ot' a movable door for the aperture arrangedwithin the casing and a rotatable arbor arranged within the casing andwith the coperating door to hold it in open or closed position. e

7. The combination with a mail-receptacle and a casing having amail-receiving aperture, of a movable door for the aperture arrangedwithin the casing, a rotatable arbor arranged within the casing and.coperating with the door to hold it in open or closed position andhaving an Operating end within the casing adapted to receive a key and award-casing on the main casing, detachable fastening devices for theward-casing and accessible from the inside only of the main casing andwards in the ward-easing arranged adjacent to the side of the arbor-axiswith which corresponding wards on a key are adapted to coopet-ate.

8. The eombination with a casing having a mail-receiving aperture, of anovable door for the aperture arranged within the casing, a rotatablearbor also arranged within the casing having portions coperating withthe door to actuate and hold it in open or closed positions and anOperating end adapted to receive a key, a ward-casing attached to themain casing, detachable fastening devices 'or the ward-casing accessiblefrom the inside only of the main casing and a plurality of changeablewards in the ward-casing adjacent to the Operating end of the arbor withwhich corresponding wards on a removable key are adapted to coperate.

9. The combination with a casing having a mail-receiving aperture, of amovalole door for the aperture, means for actuating said door andholdingit in open or closed position, arranged within the casing andadapted to be actuated by a removable key, a ward-casing on the maincasing; detachable :t'asteni'g devices for the ward-casing accessiblefrom the inside only ot the main casing, and a plurality of wards in theward-casing arranged adjacent to said Operating means 'for preventingits operation exoepting by the proper key.

10. The combination with the casing having a mail-receiving aperture, ofthe door pivoted at its lower end in the casing and adapted to controlthe aperture, the arbor journaled in the casing having the armscoperating with the door to hold it opened or closed and a removableOperating device for the arbor.

ll. The comhination with the casing having a mail-receiving apel-tere,of the door pivoted at its lower end and having the projections, therotatable arbor having arms coperating with the door to hold it open orclosed, a spring for Operating the door in one direction and means 'orrotating the arbor.

12. The combination with the casing having the aperture, of a movabledoor 'or the aperture, a rotatable arbor in the casing having an armcoperating with the door to hold it closed when moved in one direction.

13. The combination with the casing having the aperture, of a movabledoor for the aperture arranged within the casing, a spring for Operatingit in one direction, a rotatable arbor having arms or projectionsengaging the door and holding it open and locked when moved in onedirection and closed and locked when moved in the opposite direction.

14:. The combination with a mail-receptacle and the casing having theapertnre of a pivoted automatically-operated door controlling theaperture arranged within the casing and having fianges at the upper end,the rotatable arbor having an arm engaging the door to close it and aprojection coperating with the door to hold it open.

15. The combination with the casing having the aperture. of a door forcontrolling the aperture, means for holding the door closed or open,having an Operating portion adapted for the application of a warded key,a wardeasing, detachable securing devices for attaching it to the maincasing and accessible from the interior only ofthe latter, and removableand interchangeable key-wards located in the ward-casing and arrangedadjacent to the operating means with which the wards of said key areadapted to coperate.

16. The combination with the casing having the aperture, ot' a door forcontrolling the aperture, the Operating-arbor for the door adapt- IOOIIO

ed for the application of a removable key, a Ward-casing, detachablesecurng devices for attachingdt to the main casing and accessible fromthe interior only of the latter, and a plurality of removableward-plates located in the Ward-casing and arranged adjacent the arborand adapted to coperate With Wards in the removable key.

17. ln an Operating device for mail-receptacle doors, the combinationWith a rotatable arbor adapted for the application of a key, of aWard-casing, detachable securing devices 'or attaching it to thereccptacle accessible from the interior only of the latter and aplurality of interchangeable Ward-plates located within the Ward-casingand adjacent the end of the arbor and having the Wards.

18. In an Operating device for mail-receptacle doors, the combinationWith a rotatable arbor adapted for the application of a key, of a casinglocated adjacent the arbor, detachable securing devices 'or the casingaccessible from the interior only of the receptacle and a plurality ofinterchangeable Ward-plates arranged in the casinghavinginwardly-extending Wards.

19. The combination With a mail-receptacle embodying a casing having anaperture, of a door for the aperture pivoted within the casing andmovable transversely of the plane of the apcrture Whereby pressure onthe door through the aperture Will be transmitted to the pivot, andmeans for Operating the door.

20. The combination With a mail-receptacle embodying* a casing having avertical aperture therein, of a pivoted door or closure pivoted beneathand movable transversely of the aperture and between `it and the pivotand means for Operating the door on its pivot.

JOSEPH WARREN CUTLER.

lVitnesses:

G. WVIL ARD BICH, ELIZABETH J. PERRY.

